YEARS of fundraising by a Darwen woman will live on after she left almost £17,000 in her will to two local charities.

Jenny Whalley was heavily involved in both the Darwen Macmillan Cancer Relief group and Derwent Hall. And her bequest, divided equally between the two, will mean she will continue to help those in need, even after her death.

A cheque for £8,490 was presented to Macmillan on her behalf at a special dinner at Whitehall Country Club. The evening also raised a further £1, 712 for the charity. A second cheque has also been handed over to representatives of Derwent Hall.

Mrs Whalley, who was 83 when she died last October, was former chairman and president of Darwen Macmillan Cancer Relief and vice-chairman of Derwent Hall.

A former JP, she also taught at Avondale Secondary Modern for Girls and Moorland High School.

Friend and secretary for Darwen Macmillan Cancer Relief, Margaret Holden, said: "It was through her work that the extension was built on Derwent Hall. She was also a member of the Lloyds Trust.

"She died very suddenly. She was not originally a Darwener but had lived in Darwen most of her life. There was no family locally."